Chapter 188: Chapter 188: A Bitter Struggle (Bonus Chapter 4)
Even though the creature before Charles was only a split body of the Fallen Fairy, there was no denying its overwhelming power.
It could freely unleash an array of magical spells, manipulate its durable carnivorous plant tentacles for swift and heavy attacks, and command hordes of monsters to assault from all directions.
This one being alone could rival—or even surpass—the full might of a top-tier Familia. With its ability to chain long-verse chants, no one in current-day Orario could compare.
Even the Loki Familia had barely managed to survive by pushing their elite members to the brink. They had nearly failed despite going all-in.
Based on its power, the Fallen Fairy's split body was estimated to be at least an upper-level LV7, possibly even LV8.
Charles didn't know exactly what kind of power an LV8 adventurer possessed. But he was certain that even Riveria—Orario's most powerful mage—couldn't unleash multiple long-verse spells in succession back when she reached LV8.
The Fallen Fairy was slightly surprised when her Flame Storm failed to harm Charles, but she quickly began chanting her second long-verse spell.
"O earth, tremble at my command! Submit to my will! Crust of the land, black gleam of iron, hammer of stars, I order you by the pact of cleaving—"
"Earth-elemental magic this time, huh?"
Without hesitation, Charles surged forward, flames bursting from his body and propelling him toward the enemy.
As he advanced, he activated Dragonblood Mode. White vapor steamed off his skin like a boiling engine.
The ground trembled beneath him, and thin carnivorous plant tendrils shot upward like spears. A single hit from those would turn anyone into a pincushion.
But Charles didn't slow down. His greatsword moved so fast it became invisible, leaving only a swirling arc of light encircling him.
All the tendrils were sliced cleanly apart, scattering to the ground in chunks.
Then the terrain shifted. A massive blossom erupted from below, launching Charles into the air.
Mid-flight, he clearly saw a field of plant monsters below, their gaping maws wide open, ready to swallow him whole.
Charles sneered. Flame-wings burst open behind him, lifting him into the sky as he streaked toward the Fallen Fairy's main body.
But this was the 59th floor—there was no real "sky." Even the ceiling was covered with dense carnivorous plants.
This entire space had been claimed as the Fallen Fairy's domain. There wasn't a single gap uninfested.
Even airborne, Charles was still within reach. Dozens of tendrils lashed at him.
He cut through many of them mid-air, but he was eventually blocked by a cluster that slowed his momentum.
At the same time, the Fallen Fairy finished chanting.
She spread her arms like she was embracing the air. Dozens of magical arrays bloomed beneath the ceiling.
From them emerged massive, black stone boulders veined with glowing magma—meteors conjured by magic.
"Meteor—Storm!"
As she invoked the spell, the meteors rained down like divine punishment.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The space shook with every impact. The magical boulders, though conjured, carried weight comparable to actual meteors—and with magical acceleration, their force was devastating.
As the dust settled, the torn and cratered battlefield came into view. Amid the destruction, Charles slowly stood up, leaning on his greatsword.
He had destroyed several incoming meteors with Flame Dragon Roar, but their shockwaves still slammed him to the ground, leaving him rattled and bloodied. A small stream of blood trickled from his lips before the pain subsided.
Yet he grinned.
This was what it meant to fight. Only under real danger and pressure could his blood boil like this.
He wiped the blood from his mouth and locked eyes with the Fallen Fairy, the fire in his gaze burning brighter than ever.
The Fallen Fairy's expression twisted with irritation. Clearly, she wasn't pleased that two long-verse spells hadn't ended him.
But another such spell wouldn't be immediate—Charles could feel her absorbing mana from the surroundings to replenish herself.
Her Meteor Storm had cleared out a large portion of her own monsters. Charles couldn't ask for a better opening.
Dragging [War Saint] behind him, Charles transformed into a flaming comet and streaked toward her, cutting down every worm and vine in his path.
Even the defensive web of tentacles the Fallen Fairy wove was torn apart. Charles broke through and reached her directly.
He didn't hesitate. No mercy for this monster in a maiden's guise. He slashed down with full force.
"Piercing thunder, spear of advance! In the name of the executor—I am spirit of lightning, embodiment of thunder, queen of the storm! Thunder—Ray!"
Unlike adventurers, the Fallen Fairy wasn't limited by a magic slot system. In addition to long-verse magic, she could also cast devastating short-verse spells.
A dazzling beam of energy shot forward, slamming into Charles and blasting him away.
Midair, two plant tendrils smacked him again, slamming him back to the ground.
"Ice river, freeze the world! Breath of frost, realm of rime, eternal slumber of winter…"
She was already starting another long-verse spell—this time ice-elemental.
The enormous blossom that had struck Charles twitched. Suddenly, a pillar of flame erupted from within, reducing it to ash.
"Alright, alright! It's your turn now, Far!"
The Fallen Fairy had overwhelming offense and defense. Without a way to pierce her defenses completely, Charles could only suffer her bombardments.
With a roar, Far burst into the air, unleashing waves of searing fire against the onrushing monsters.
At the sight of Far, the Fallen Fairy went berserk. Her chanting sped up.
"I am spirit of ice, embodiment of frost, queen of winter. Icebind—Storm!"
Far responded with a bellow, spewing a wave of fire to intercept.
The white storm of frost collided with the dragon's fire-breath.
Far's fire couldn't match the scale of her long-verse magic, but it split the frost wave in two, shielding Charles from its deadly force.
The war-torn battlefield was covered in thick layers of ice, except for the zone behind Far where Charles stood unscathed.
"Far, it's time. Let's get serious!"
Far dove down, merging into Charles's body.
"Spirit Assimilation—Flame Dragon King!"
Charles bared his now-draconic fangs. His greatsword radiated heat like it had just been pulled from a forge.
He charged into the monster horde, cleaving through them with each flaming strike. Blade and fire moved as one, incinerating everything before him.
Countless tentacles rained down like arrows, but they evaporated the moment they brushed against him.
The Fallen Fairy could sense it now—lethal danger. Her beautiful face twisted with fear.
But Far's presence only deepened her greed. She burned to consume him even more.
"Come! Fuse with me!"
Charles's every breath now sparked fire. His voice was like molten steel.
"So ugly… Allow me to put you out of your misery."
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